Invasive Plants in Southern Forests United States Department of Agriculture A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive PlantsSLIGHTLY inREVISED NOVEMBERSouthern 2015 Forests United States Forest Service Department Southern Research Station James H. Miller, Erwin B. Chambliss, and Nancy J. Loewenstein of Agriculture General Technical Report SRS–­­119 Authors: James H. Miller, Emeritus Research Ecologist, and Erwin B. Chambliss, Research Technician, Forest Available without charge from the Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Southern Research Station, Auburn University, AL 36849; and Southern Research Station Nancy J. Loewenstein, Research Fellow and Alabama Cooperative Extension System Specialist for Also available online at Forest Invasive Plants, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, AL 36849. www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/35292 and invasive.org, or as a free download for iPhones and iPads at the AppStore Front Cover Upper left—Chinese lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) infestation that developed from dormant seed in the soil seed bank after a forest thinning operation. Upper right—Kudzu (Pueraria montana) infestation within the urban-wildland interface. Lower left—Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense) and dormant kudzu invading and replacing a pine- hardwood stand. Lower right—Cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica) infestation under mature slash pine (Pinus elliottii). Funding support for all printings provided by the Southern Research Station, Insect, Disease, and Invasive Plants Research Work Unit, and Forest Health Protection, Southern Region, Asheville, NC. First Printed April 2010 Slightly Revised February 2012 Revised August 2013 Reprinted January 2015 Slightly Revised November 2015 Southern Research Station 200 W.T. Weaver Blvd. Asheville, NC 28804 www.srs.fs.usda.gov i A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests James H. Miller, Erwin B. Chambliss, and Nancy J. Loewenstein ii Acknowledgments The clarity and accuracy of descriptions and nomenclature have been measurably Ron Lance, plant consultant, Asheville, NC improved by the sizable and appreciated reviews of the following experts. Reviewers Nancy Loewenstein, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, of this edition: Curtis Hansen, Auburn University, Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn, AL, Bugwood.org Auburn, AL; Ron Lance, plant consultant, Asheville, NC; Steven T. Manning, Invasive Steven T. Manning, Invasive Plant Control Inc., Nashville, TN, Bugwood.org Plant Control, Inc., Nashville, TN; Carey Minteer, formerly with the University of Georgia’s Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health, Tifton, GA; and Fred Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org Nation, Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Fairhope, AL. David J. Moorhead, Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Reviewers of prior edition: Kristine Johnson, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Fred Nation, Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Fairhope, AL, Gatlingburg, TN; Fred Nation, Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Bugwood.org Fairhope, AL; Johnny Randall, North Carolina Botanical Gardens, Chapel Hill, NC; Ohio State Weed Lab Archive, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org Jack Ranney, formerly with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN. Richard Old, XID Services, Incorporated, Bugwood.org All Plant Images by James H. Miller and Posted on Bugwood.org Christopher Oswalt, U.S. Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Forest Inventory and Analysis, Knoxville, TN with Crucial Contributions by: Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Forestry Ted Bodner, copyrighted by the University of Georgia Press for “Forest Plants of the Archive, Harrisburg, PA, Bugwood.org Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses” and used by permission, Champaign, IL Corrie Pieterson, University of Florida, School of Forest Resources and Patrick Breen, Oregon State University, Department of Horticulture, Corvallis, OR, Conservation, Gainesville, FL Bugwood.org John M. Randall, The Nature Conservancy, University of California, Davis, CA, Steven J. Baskauf, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN Bugwood.org Charles T. Bryson, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Southern Weed Science Barry Rice, sarracenia.com, Bugwood.org Research Unit, Stoneville, MS, Bugwood.org Amy Richard, University of Florida, Bugwood.org John Cardina, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, Bugwood.org Jan Samanek, State Phytosanitary Administration, Bugwood.org Gerald D. Carr, Carr Botanical Consultation, Bugwood.org Michael Shephard, U.S. Forest Service, Bugwood.org Erwin Chambliss, U.S. Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Auburn, AL John Schwegman, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Springfield, IL Steve Dewey, Utah State University Extension, Logan, UT, Bugwood.org Forest and Kim Starr, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org Thomas Ellis, Jr., Baldwin County Forestry Planning Committee, Bay Minette, AL Dan Tenaglia, Missouriplants.com, Bugwood.org Stephen F. Enloe, Department of Agronomy & Soils, Auburn University, Auburn, AL Robert Vidéki, Doronicum Kft., Bugwood.org Chris Evans, River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area, Marion, IL, Bugwood.org Warner Park Nature Center, Metropolitan Board of Parks and Recreation, Nashville, TN John Everest, Department of Agronomy & Soils, Auburn University, Auburn, AL Gil Wojciech, Polish Forest Research Institute, Bugwood.org Nancy Fraley, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Asheville, NC Great Smoky Mountains National Park Resource Management Archive, USDI National Park Service, Gatlinburg TN, Bugwood.org Plant Names from: Michael Jordan, Alabama Department of Environmental Management, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Plants Database: http://plants. Montgomery, AL usda.gov with recent published modifications. All images are available free at Forestryimages.org Steven Katovich, U.S. Forest Service, Forest Health Protection, Bugwood.org iii Contents Explanation of Codes and Conventions Used in Species Descriptions .. iv Five-Leaf Akebia, Chocolate Vine . 64 TREES Japanese Honeysuckle .................................... 66 Invasive Introduction ............................................... 1 Kudzu .................................................. 68 Invasive Trees Nonnativ 70 Brazilian Peppertree ....................................... 2 e Ivies ........................................... Nonnativ ....................................... 72 Callery Pear, Bradford Pear ................................. 4 e Wisterias Or ....................................... 74 Camphortree ............................................ 6 iental Bittersweet Vincas, Periwinkles ....................................... 76 Chinaberrytree ........................................... 8 SHRUBS W 78 Invasive Chinese Parasoltree ....................................... 10 inter Creeper ........................................... Glossy Buckthorn ......................................... 12 Invasive Grasses and Canes Paper Mulberry ........................................... 14 Bamboos ............................................... 80 Princesstree, Paulownia .................................... 16 Chinese Silvergrass ....................................... 82 Russian Olive ............................................ 18 Cogongrass ............................................. 84 Silktree, Mimosa .......................................... 20 Giant Reed .............................................. 86 Invasive Tallowtree, Popcorntree .................................... 22 Johnsongrass ............................................ 88 VINES Tree-of-Heaven ........................................... 24 Nepalese Browntop, Japanese Stiltgrass ....................... 90 Trifoliate Orange, Hardy Orange .............................. 26 Tall Fescue .............................................. 92 Weeping Lovegrass ....................................... 94 Tungoil Tree ............................................. 28 Invasive Shrubs Invasive Ferns Japanese Climbing Fern ................................... 96 GRASSES Autumn Olive ............................................ 30 Bush Honeysuckles ....................................... 32 Invasive Forbs Invasive Chinese/European/Border/California Privet ..................... 34 Alligatorweed ............................................ 98 Hen’s Eyes, Coral Ardisia ................................... 36 Big Blue Lilyturf, Creeping Liriope ............................100 Japanese/Glossy Privet .................................... 38 Chinese Lespedeza .......................................102 Japanese Barberry ........................................ 40 Coltsfoot ................................................104 Japanese Knotweed ....................................... 42 Crownvetch . .106 FERNS Japanese Meadowsweet ................................... 44 Garlic Mustard ...........................................108 Invasive Leatherleaf Mahonia ...................................... 46 Nodding Plumeless Thistle ..................................110 Nonnative Roses ......................................... 48 Spot 11 ted Knapweed ........................................ 2 Sacred Bamboo, Nandina .................................. 50 Other Nonnative Plants Invading Southern Forests and Their Shrubby Nonnative Lespedezas ............................. 52 Margins, Openings,